Silent Hill: To My Beloved Daughter
by Foxhound3857
Summary: A full novelization of Silent Hill for the PSX. Written in the first person, from the perspective of the main character, Harry Mason. Though most of the information is canon, I also added some non-canon material for fluency. Enjoy.
1. Prologue: To My Beloved Daughter

Silent Hill

_The fear of blood tends to create fear for the flesh. _

**Prologue: To my beloved daughter. **

To this day, I still can't accurately recall how the events of that painful experience played out.

My name is Harry Mason, 32 years old. I am a journalist and writer for a local news press, and I also do some freelance writing on the side when given the chance.

I have (or had, depending on your perspective) a daughter named Cheryl. My wife, Amy, died of end-stage Leukemia 4 years ago, so for all intents and purposes I am a single parent.

Even now as I write this journal entry, the recalling of events that unfolded on that horrible day still pick at my brain, like a dentist cleaning out a cavity. Nothing about that day makes sense, and though in the end I succeeded in my objective, I still feel hollow, like I forgot something.

It all started two days before.

It was a Thursday, August 17th, 1987. Cheryl had just turned 7 years old a couple of days before. School was going to start up very soon, and I wanted to do something special for her, for us. Since Amy had died, the taxing strain of stress and worry had worn us both down, in different ways. Even though I did well enough financially to support us both without a problem, it left me little time to actually spend with Cheryl. Much of the time I had to hire a babysitter or have my neighbor, Sophia Comer, come over and watch her during the week.

I spent as little time at work as humanly possible, but my job demanded a lot of hours and having so little time to spend at home with my daughter meant that our personal relationship wasn't the best it could be. She called me "daddy," but other than that she was very independent. I actually admired her for that. "She's going to have a very successful future," I thought.

Nevertheless, the social awkwardness was there, and I wanted to get to know my own daughter at least a little better. So, before I left work that day, I asked my boss for a short vacation. Normally my boss is a very understanding person and I didn't think she'd have a problem with my request (especially since I can take my work with me), and she didn't. In fact, she even gave me a collection of pamphlets for various popular vacationing spits. I thanked her, and made my way home.

Cheryl was already sleeping when I walked in the door. I thanked Sophia for watching her, who then slipped out the front door and went back into her own apartment. I set the pamphlets on the kitchen counter and had a soda in my hand before I even began to browse over them. Some were for areas I was familiar with like Jacksonville, Indianapolis, etc, and some were for areas that I had never even heard of. The one that caught my eye was for a small lakeside resort called Silent Hill. It was described as a quiet, peaceful town fronted on one Toluca Lake, and was said to have a shopping center, an old district for touring, and even an amusement park right on the edge of the lake. It was quite interesting to read.

_Daddy?_

I looked over to the door leading into Cheryl's room.

_Cheryl. I'm sorry, did I wake you?_

Cheryl was standing in the doorway, wrapped in a blanket. It was cold in the room; I don't use my heater very often. I can't work very well in overly warm environments. I guess I made too much noise when I walked in.

Cheryl walked over to see what I was doing.

_I have a surprise. You and I are going to take a little vacation, just the two of us. _

And then, I got a sudden inspiration; why not let her decide where to go. I was willing to give any place a try if it meant spending more time with the most important person in my life.

However…

_I want to go here. _

She picked up the Silent Hill pamphlet. I don't know why she would decide so quickly without even looking at any of them (I'd guess it was the picture), but nevertheless, when I asked her if she was sure, she said yes with resounding assurance in her voice.

_Okay sweetpea, if that's where you want to go then that's where we'll go. _

Though the moment was awkward for me, I shook it off and looked at the Silent Hill pamphlet again. There were some phone numbers for a couple of hotels in various places among the town. I decided to call the one closest to the lake, one Indian Runner Motel. I grabbed my phone, one of those old vintage-style beasts that had a turn-dial for inputting numbers, and slowly dialed the number.

Ringing…

_Thank you for calling the Indian Runner motel located in Silent Hill. How may I help you? _

_Um, hello. I'd like to make reservations for 3 days, tomorrow through Monday. A room with two beds, if possible._

_Okay, no problem. Can I please get your name for the guest registry? _

_Yes, it's Harry Mason. _

_Okay, Mr. Harry Mason, when can I expect you in tomorrow? _

_I have a long drive ahead of me, so I will set out early. I expect to be there by 8PM, perhaps? _

_Okay, I will be expecting you. Thank you for calling Indian Runner. Good night. _

I hung up and set the phone aside. Looking at the Pamphlet showed that the lake Silent Hill was fronted on was one Lake Toluca. I pulled out an atlas of the United States and pinpointed Lake Toluca, a couple hundred miles west of her, in West Virginia. It was going to be a fairly long drive.

_Cheryl, we have to leave early tomorrow if we're going to make it to Silent Hill in a timely manner. Go to bed, and I'll see you in the morning. _

_Okay, daddy. Good night! _

She gave me a kiss on the cheek, and went back to bed. I got up from my easy chair, stretched, and went into my bedroom.


	2. Chapter 1: The Drive Into Town

**Chapter 1: The drive into town. **

The alarm clock went off.

It was 5AM, not even daylight yet. I forced myself out of bed and over to the window. The floor was freezing and the room chill made me shiver in my bare skin. I leaned against the side for balance and gazed into the distance. The streetlights stretched far into the lit unknown, giving the town a surreal vibe, like something out of the Twilight Zone. It was unnerving, but interesting nevertheless. I've never had this perspective before.

I stretched, went into the bathroom and ran the hot water in the shower. As I cleaned myself off, a number of thoughts ran through my mind. The most prominent among them was the awkward situation with me and my daughter. This was the first time that I was going to spend quality bonding time with her. What would we talk about? How was I supposed to approach the situation. Several possible outcomes played out in my mind, ranging from a classic happy ending to a complete and utter failure to communicate, but all of them seemed odd in a certain way. Maybe it was knowing that none of them were realistic, or even reasonably plausible.

The water began to run cold, so I turned the valve off, grabbed a towel, and stepped out. Even as I dried myself off and got dressed, the notion of what was about to happen still rattled around my head like loose change. I made quick packing arrangements for the getaway. I didn't bother taking anything of great importance, just a couple days worth of clothing changes, cosmetic essentials like my toothbrush, and my writing supplies. I always preferred to travel light.

I stepped out of my room and set my bag down by the front door. Then I went into Cheryl's room to wake her up. She had her face buried in the pillow.

_Cheryl, wake up. We have to leave early if we're going to make it to Silent Hill today. _

She slowly pushed herself up and looked at me.

_Daddy? What time is it? _

_It's early honey, but we have to get going if we're going to make it on time. Get yourself dressed, I'll pack for you. _

I felt bad waking her up so early, but she got up and went into the bathroom to get dressed. Meanwhile I packed another bag for her with some non-perishables and a few coloring books to keep her occupied. She has a great fascination with drawing and coloring, and I even bought her a personalized bound sketchbook for her 5th birthday. She still uses it, and takes it with her wherever she goes. I grabbed it off her night stand and set it and her bag by the door.

I went into the kitchen for a glass of orange juice and packed a couple of snacks for Cheryl. We weren't going to have much time for pit stops so I brought as much as I thought we'd need. I wanted to be on the road as much as possible to make good time.

Cheryl came out of her room about 5 minutes later, looking very sleepy, but dressed and ready to go. I told her to bring a blanket and pillow with her so she could sleep during the drive. I grabbed the luggage and set it outside in the apartment hall. She followed me outside, and I closed and locked the door with my apartment key. We quietly made our way to the back entrance of the apartment complex, where my Jeep was parked. I put everything in the trunk while Cheryl got in the back seat. As I expected, she put her pillow on the far side and lied down. I got in the front seat, started the car, and we were finally on the road.

From Bedford Pennsylvania, the best way West into West Virginia was to take the 76 westbound until it connected to the 70. From there, the 70 would lead into West Virginia, and we'd eventually come into Silent Hill from the north. The drive lasted for 12 hours (including a couple of pit stops along the way) before we finally entered West Virginia and saw a sign saying that we were 150 miles from Silent Hill.

It was roughly 6PM, and the nearest sign said we were about 84 miles from Silent Hill, and 119 from another town called Brahams. There was a gas station on the side of the road, and seeing how we didn't make any recent stops, I thought it was a good place to get out and stretch. I pulled into the parking lot, turned off the Jeep, and got out. It was a fairly un-notable place, just your local pit stop, but I thought the location itself was odd, this far in the middle of the wilderness. Regardless, it was here, and I wanted to make the best of it. I opened the backseat door and woke Cheryl up.

_Wake up honey, we're going to get something to eat here. _

_Okay daddy._

She seemed much more alert now, and quickly pushed herself up and got out of the Jeep. Together we walked into the gas station, and I told Cheryl to pick out any snacks she might want. I walked back to the beverage rack and grabbed one of those new energy drinks that had been advertised on TV now and then. We still had a bit of a ways to go, and I thought the boost would help.

Having grabbed everything we wanted, we made for the checkout counter. The total came to $8.47, so I reached into my wallet and pulled out a tenspot. While he was processing the transaction, I decided to ask.

_Hey, this is the right way to Silent Hill, right? _

He gave me an odd look, one that I found immediately discerning.

_Yeah, it's the right way, but why would you want to go there? That town is creepy? _

I inquired. _How so?_

_Well, the town is pretty quiet and the people there tend to keep to themselves. They're not the friendliest bunch. _

_I see. Well, I'm heading there for a vacation, so we'll likely be keeping to ourselves too. _

He gave me another funny look, this one with a hint of confusion.

_Okay, I won't stop you. At the very least you should buy a map; the town can be quite confusing to get around. _

I took his word for it, and added a map to the purchases. Another four dollars on top of what I'd already paid, and we were back in the Jeep and on the road. This time Cheryl rode shotgun, clutching her sketchbook close.

We came to a fork in the road. The sign told us that Brahams was left, and Silent Hill was right. So, we turned right. It felt odd being out in the wilderness like this. The entire area felt ominous and oppressing, even though the area was inhabitated. It didn't feel safe, and it caused me a little bit of distress.

That is, until the cop came along. She came seemingly out of nowhere, and with the lack of people on the road she thought it safe to get in the opposing lane and move up along side me. She glanced over to me and gave me a friendly wave. I nodded my head at her, and she went ahead of me and took off into the distance. I felt a little comforted by that meeting.

_At least the local law enforcement is friendly around here._

The radio began to emit a lot of static, like it was failing to receive a signal. I thought it was just because of the area I was in, being enshrouded by trees and mountains. Yet, when I fiddled with the tuner and changed stations, each one emitted nothing but varying degrees of piercing static and white noise. It was unusual, but not unexplainable, and I turned the radio off. It felt weird and unnerving seeing as there wasn't a single other car on the road, but I looked over to Cheryl and she turned her head to me, a warm smile beaming across her face. It made me feel better, and I turned my eyes forward.

The road turned, and then became a straight shot as far as I could see (which wasn't very far considering that there was a strange sort of fog in attendance). That was when I became worried about the situation. On the side of the road was a turn-over police motorcycle, the exact same model as the one that female cop was riding. Unfortunately, there was no sign of the cop anywhere. That made the scene seem even more frightening.

_Where is she?_

I turned my head as I passed the bike to see if I could find her.

_DADDY!_

I snapped my head over to Cheryl. _What's wrong Cheryl!?_

Her eyes were locked forward. I turned my head to look at the road.

There was a girl standing in the middle of the road. She was wearing a blue outfit, much like a school uniform, and her hair was short and bobbed. I didn't have time to take in the details, though. I swerved as fast as I could.

The Jeep lost traction, and I rammed into a fence on the side of the road. I hit my head on the steering wheel.

And darkness overtook me.


	3. Chapter 2: Reality Check

**Chapter 2: Reality check. **

My head was pounding.

Consciousness slowly returned to me, and with it came a feeling of pain and confusion. I guess that banging my head on the steering wheel left me more dazed than I realized. My body came to life and reacted almost instantly by my hand reaching for my forehead. I rubbed it furiously, trying to at least dull the thumping agony within.

Awareness kicked in while I was trying to find relief, and my eyes reported the surroundings to my brain. Apparently I had slammed right into a fence. I couldn't see what was beyond the fence, because much like the drive moments before the accident, there was a nasty fog in attendance. I couldn't see more than 10 feet in front of me.

It made no sense whatsoever. It was the middle of August, one of the hottest months of the year. There shouldn't be any fog at all.

And despite being August, it was also very cold. The interior of my jeep was freezing, like the air conditioning unit was kicked into overdrive for hours at a time. Looking at the driver-side window showed that there was a thin layer of moisture that was already condensing, and when I put my hand on it, the cold glass quickly began to freeze the sweat on my fingers.

I felt a draft. It was directly to my right. I looked over to the passenger seat.

_Cheryl! _

She was gone! There was no sign of her in the Jeep, nor any sign that she had ever been in here. Her blanket and pillow, her bag, even her sketchbook was gone.

_Did she run away?_

It was definitely possible. Maybe she went to get help. I can't imagine what a 7-year old would think, seeing a man knocked out cold, hunched over a steering wheel. But I was very worried, especially considering the awkward situation I was in. I unhooked my seatbelt and opened the driver-side door. The cold wind and fog greeted me with even greater force. At least I was wearing a jacket. I stepped out of the Jeep.

I took a few steps forward and glanced at the setting around me. The fog made it impossible to see any further than a few feet ahead of me, so I had no sense of direction whatsoever. I decided to stay close to one edge of the road so that I could guide myself with landmarks. There had to be someone out here to help.

I didn't get very far though. Before long I came to a tunnel, or at least what would've passed for a tunnel had it not been completely destroyed. Rubble and debris blocked both entrances completely. Was this what I came through to get into town? I don't remember one being here before, and I certainly wouldn't have come through here if it was like this already. There was nothing I could do about it though. I turned around and started walking in the other direction.

As I was walking, I began to take in my surroundings again, more importantly the finer details. I passed by a couple of stores, and "Sorry, we're CLOSED" signs hung on each of the windows. Cars were parked here and there with no sign of their owners. There wasn't a single person out here, it seemed, nor any other form of life. At the very least I should be able to hear the singing of birds, or the call of a stray cat or dog, but there was nothing. It was dead silent.

This place, whatever it was, felt absolutely lifeless, as if nothing ever lived here to begin with. There wasn't a single shred of evidence to suggest that there was anything alive except me. Closed signs hung on all the windows, cars were parked in strange ways or just left right in the middle of the road. Even the traffic lights were without power. This place felt absolutely dead, and the fog and unexplainably cold weather just made that fact stick out more.

_CHERYL!_

I yelled out in the hopes that I would get an answer, though expecting that I wouldn't get one. I wasn't disappointed in that expectation. She could be anywhere by now, and I didn't think I had the energy to manage that big of a search to find her. The massive headache I was getting didn't help either.

_I should've brought the map I bought with me._

I heard something. It was faint, but it was there, and when I stopped to listen I could make it out. The sound was that of footsteps, and not my own. They were lighter than my own, like the footsteps of a young child.

_Cheryl! _

They were coming from the east of me, and as luck would have it, the road turned east here (from my perspective, since with my screwed up sense of direction, I could have been facing any which way). I made the turn and broke into a jog.

Before long, my eyes caught sight of a figure.

_Is that Cheryl? _

The figure looked to be about 7 years old, wearing a blue dress with red dress shoes and white socks. She had black hair that was short and bobbed, and she was clutching what appeared to be a sketchbook.

I approached her.

_There you are! I was worried sick about you Cheryl. Why did you run away like that? _

She made no attempt to answer me. Instead, she began walking. **Away** from me.

_HEY, STOP! _

I started walking, but she picked up the pace and started running. I broke into a sprint and chased after her, but it was no use. She got too far ahead of me, and I could no longer see nor hear her through this damned fog. It looked like she was running towards the left-hand sidewalk, so I banked over to the left and stayed near the grassy gnoll.

Before long I came to an alley, one that looked completely out of place. I gazed down it as far as the fog would let me.

_CHERYL! _

She was standing maybe 10 feet away, facing away from me. She broke into stride again, and before I could get my speed up she vanished from sight again. The alley couldn't go forever; eventually I'd catch up to her. And sure enough, I had reached the end of the alley when I caught a glimpse of her in mid-stride. She was running left, and I heard a gate open and close. I made the turn and ran through the gate.

There was no sign of Cheryl, but what was in front of me was disturbing all the same. The best guess I could make was that it was the corpse of some animal, a dog perhaps, turned inside out, I could see bloodied skin, ribs, and vital organs heaped in a pile maybe 5 feet from where I was standing, and there was a splash of gore on the wall next to it as well. I was getting a really bad feeling, like there might be something dangerous here.

There was an opening to my right, and I started down it, this time walking. Even though Cheryl might be in danger, I was hesitant to chase after her now, seeing as there could be someone or something else here. Before long I came to another gate, and slipped through it as well.

As soon as I did, it began to get dark. It made no sense to go from broad daylight to pitch black in a matter of seconds, but I didn't question its nature. Instead, I reached into my pocket and pulled out a lighter. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing. I kept moving forward.

The alley turned after 10 paces, and I turned with it. And as soon as I did, something came into view, something that I thought was out of place.

It was a gurney.

_What the hell is a gurney doing in a place like this?_

There was an overturned wheelchair not far from the gurney, but I paid no attention to it. Instead, my eyes were locked on the top of the gurney. I'm not sure if it was the blood-stained shroud that gave me chills, or if it was what looked like a body underneath. I had no desire whatsoever to see who was under the sheet, and I instead continued to follow the alley.

It turned again, but this time it looked different. Instead of running into another stark concrete wall, the entire path changed to a chain-link fence, one that looked horribly rusted and caked with all manners of dirt and filth. It began to rain, and something else about the atmosphere felt wrong, but I couldn't put my finger on it, and there were bigger things to worry about anyway. I kept going forward.

And then I stopped, because that second point had just rammed itself home. The path opened upon into a sort of pit, which was already collecting with dirty water from the rain fall. I paid no attention to it though. My eyes were locked in place at the sight that lay before me.

There was a corpse bound to the fence.

I held my lighter up to illuminate the scene. The corpse looked to be held up against the post with razor wire, which had made many cuts along the limbs and torso. It was decaying, and it smelled absolutely terrible.

_What is this!? WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON HERE!?_

I abandoned the notion of what I was doing. Something seriously fucked up was happening here, and I didn't want to be any part of it. All I wanted was to get out of here. I turned to leave.

I saw something. Something that was moving. Moving towards me.

_What in the hell? _

It looked vaguely like a human, about the size of a small child. I thought just maybe it was Cheryl.

I wasn't so lucky.

It was two feet away from me before I got a good look at it. It had no face, no eyes, nose, or anything of the sort, only a hole where its mouth should be. Its skin was fish-belly white, looking to be in the process of early decay, and it looked to be deformed in several areas.

It was also holding what appeared to be a knife.

Before I could react, the "thing" lunged forward and grabbed hold of my right leg. I shook my leg violently in a desperate attempt to dislodge the creature, and thankfully I was successful. It lost its grip and teetered to the side in a sort of drunken stupor, like I threw it off balance. I wasted no time. I broke into a full sprint. I didn't care what the fuck it was; I just wanted to get away from it.

I ran right into a dead end.

A fence and other debris had formed an impenetrable barrier, blocking me from escape.

_This wasn't here before! _

Well, it was here now, and I had nowhere to go. That's when I heard something.

Sirens.

They sounded like air-raid sirens, much like the kind used in World War 2 to warn field workers of incoming fighter jets. As soon as I caught the sound, the pain of my headache increased dramatically. I slumped to my knees, clutching my head in agony. My lighter fell out of my hands, about a foot away from where I was slumped over. The last sound I remember hearing was that of fleshy footsteps coming in my direction, likely from the creature that now had me cornered.

Then I blacked out.


	4. Chapter 3: Cafe Paradise

**Chapter 3: Café Paradise.**

It was soft beneath me when I woke up.

My body reacted before my mind even had a chance to understand what was going on. I was laying on my back and I sat up. My headache was still there, and I was sore in several different places on my body, but as far as I could tell I had no visible injuries to suggest why.

_Was I dreaming?_

I was curious about where I was. It looked to be a diner of some kind. But before I had a chance to inspect my surroundings, I heard something in front of me. My head snapped forward.

It was a woman, and her uniform was a tell-tale sign that she was a police officer, if her badge and the pistol holstered to her side wasn't evidence enough. She was clad in a bluish vest with dark pants, boots, and gloves. She had short, wavy blonde hair and blue eyes.

There was a nearby waiting bar, and she took a seat at the nearest stool.

_How are you feeling?_

I answered plainly. _I feel like I've been hit by a truck, but I'm okay._ I took a quick glance around the diner. It was fairly ordinary with nothing that really stood out. There was a radio on the table next to me, an old blocky cassette player with an AM/FM tuner and an ear plug. That was the only item of interest that caught my attention. I turned back to the cop.

She nodded. _That's good to hear. _She folded her arms, like she was dealing with a misbehaving child. _Are you from around here? I'd love an explanation as to what's going on here. _

I held up my arms in defense. _Hey, hold on a minute, I'm just a tourist.. I came here for a vacation; I only got here just recently. I don't know what's going on here. I'd like to figure that out myself. _

_I see._ Her expression remained neutral.

Cheryl came to my mind again. She wasn't here. She was still missing. Considering that I could've been unconscious for at least several hours, she could easily be anywhere by now.

Hoping against all odds to get a resounding answer, I asked. _Have you seen a little girl around here? She just turned seven years old, blue dress, short black hair. _

_Your daughter? _She asked.

_Yes. _I replied.

Both her answer and expression were disappointing_. I'm sorry. You're the only other person I've seen in this town. _

I let out a long sigh. It's not as if I was expecting her to know, but it was a disappointment nevertheless. She brought up a good point, though. _Where is everybody?_

_If I knew that, I'd tell you, believe me. All I know is that something really fucked up is going on here. That's it. _The serious look on her face made me certain that she was telling the truth.

She asked me. _What's your name?_

_Harry Mason. _

_I'm Cybil Benette, second-year police officer from Brahms, a nearby town. I've been trying to find a way to get into contact with the precinct there, but the phones and the radio are dead at every place I've checked. _

_I see_. That struck me as really odd, but considering everything else that was going on, I couldn't dismiss it as a coincidence.

She got up._ I'm going back to Brahms to call in some reinforcements. _

I nodded, and I stood up. The only concern that was on my mind was Cheryl, and the sooner I started looking for her, the better. I made for the door.

She spoke up._ Hey wait a minute, where in the hell do you think you're going?_

I reminded her. _My daughter is out there somewhere. I have to find her. _

She raised her voice. _No way! Maybe you weren't listening to me. It's not safe outside. _

She was trying to warn me away from going out into the unknown, but hearing her say that just made me want to go even more. _If that's the case then I need to find her now! Cheryl's just a little girl. I can't leave her out there by herself!_

She gave me a cursory look, as if she was looking for something. Then she asked. _Do you have a gun, a weapon of any sort?_

I answered. _No. Why?_

She walked up to me and stopped two paces away. Then she drew her pistol from its holster. She checked to make sure the safety was on, and laid it flat on her palm and held it out in front of me. _Here, take this with you._

I reached for it, but she pulled back. I retracted my hand.

_Listen to me very carefully. Before you pull the trigger, know who or what you're shooting, and don't do it unless you have no other choice. And uh…don't go blasting me by accident. Understand? _

She offered the gun again, and I took it in my hand. I turned it over a few times, giving it a quick examination. _I understand. Thank you. _

She nodded. _You'd be best off by staying near this area. I'll be back with help as soon as possible. _She gave me a friendly wave, and walked through the door and out of the diner, into the foggy unknown.

I felt bad watching her walk out into the streets without a reasonable weapon. She had her baton, but I didn't see another gun on her belt. Maybe she had a spare holstered to her ankle; a lot of cops did that just so they'd have another firearm if necessary. I didn't know, but and regardless of whether she had one or not, I felt concerned for her safety. I took a closer look at the pistol she gave me. Though I had very little knowledge of firearms, I recognized this one as a Glock 17, a very popular model from what I've seen. I got a feel for the grip, the safety, the trigger, and the magazine held its full 15 rounds. I made sure the safety was on and holstered the gun to my belt. It would be easy to reach for it, if I ever needed to use it.

I gave the room a second glance, and I noticed that there were a few items of interest on the bar table. One of them was a flashlight, a pocket light, to be specific. I picked it up and examined it. It had a touch on/off switch, and checking the battery casing revealed that it already had two D-cell batteries giving it power. It fit in the exposed pocket of my leather jacket snugly. I didn't know how good the batteries were, but it might prove to be useful.

The other item of interest was a map. This map was also for Silent Hill, much like the one I bought, except less detailed in roads and highways, and more detailed in locations. It showed places like the local convenience store, a school, a church, and various stores with all manners of sizes and general goods. I didn't feel like going back to the Jeep for the map I already bought, and I thought this one would be more useful. I folded it and slipped it in my back pocket. There didn't seem to be anything else here, so I made for the door again.

I heard a noise.

_What's that sound? _

It was a piercing static, much like you'd hear coming from a radio that was out of tune with any local stations. It was coming from the radio on the nearby table.

_What's going on with that radio? _

I walked over towards the table and reached for it. I examined it from all sides and twisted the tuner and volume knobs, trying to figure out why it was making this noise.

I was in a building, but that shouldn't have impacted the signal very much, yet changing the tuner got me nothing but different variations of static.

_Is it broken?_

I didn't know, and I didn't care. I set it back down. There was no reason to think it was going to be of any use to…

*THUD*

There was a loud noise against the window.

*CRACK*

The window broke, and a volley of razor-sharp glass fragments were sprayed in my face. Thankfully none of them got in my eye or even gave me any serious injuries apart from a few very shallow cuts, but the surprise of the assault knocked me on my ass. I pushed myself up and looked forward.

And I suddenly found myself wishing I hadn't.

I don't know what it was that I saw. I've never seen nor heard of any animal like this. In many respects it looked like a bird, but also in many respects it looked to be far from a bird. Its skin (if that's what it was) was charred and veiny, as if the damn thing was tossed into a pressure cooker and turned inside out. It had long sharp talons, and the beak…well, it wasn't the beak of any bird I've ever seen. It was long and bottle-shaped, almost like a dolphins nose. It let out a bone-chilling screech, and then it came right after me.

I had little time to react. I was ten feet away when it started approaching me, and it raised its talons in preparation for an attack. I couldn't go for my gun; it would reach me before I could even have a chance to aim it. I needed to get away from it.

It had me backed to the wall. It was three feet from me, ready to carve my head open. There was nowhere to run, so I did the only thing I could.

I ran "under" it.

As I expected, the bird monster from hell attempted to claw me, but I dived and it missed me, though just barely. I quickly pushed myself up, ran to the other side of the room, and turned around, gun in hand. It was across the room and could not reach me in time. I brought the gun up to eye level and aimed carefully. I let it close the distance to make sure that my shot would be a clean one. I couldn't afford to miss. It was only about five feet away now, and either it could not sense the danger it was in, or didn't care.

I fired.

I'm thankful to say that my aim was true. My shot hit this bird square in the chest, where its heart would be (or should be, since I didn't know if it even had a heart, or where it would be located). It let out another scream, this one signifying pain, but it kept coming at me.

I raised my gun again and fired two more times. Seeing it survive a shot to a vital organ had an impact on my mentality and my confidence, but this time I got the job done right. One of my bullets stitched its fleshy wing, and may as well have been a mosquito bite. The other shot punched a hole right in its brain, a lucky shot to be sure. The bird demon immediately lost composure and fell out of the air. The thing hit the ground with a loud thud, shuddered for a few seconds, then lay completely still. It was dead.

I kept my gun aimed squarely at the creatures head, just incase it still wanted to play. I gave it a couple of shoves with my foot to make sure, and was thankful to find that it really was dead. I gave it a solid kick in the head anyway, just to be sure. I heard a wet crunch from the kick, and it had a large dent in the side of its skull from the point of impact.

I lowered my gun, and my rational mind tried to speak out.

_WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT THING!?_

The only word I could think of to accurately describe this creature is a "monster." Nothing else fits. Cybil's word came to mind.

"All I know is something fucked up is going on here. That's it."

Now I understood what she meant.

_This isn't a dream. What in the hell is going on here? _

Seeing this monster and how deadly of a threat it could be made me worry about Cheryl that much more. She's out there all alone, and there could be another one of these fucking things out there. For all I knew, there could be HUNDREDS of them out there. That was a scary thought, seeing these monsters flying all over the place. But the area seemed silent, so I wasn't overly alarmed.

That's what was so odd. It went completely silent.

_The radio. _

I picked it up again and fiddled with the tuners. I still not nothing, but nor did I get the piercing white noise that I had prior to the encounter with the bird demon. There was still static, but it was very quiet. I didn't know how to explain it, but I couldn't dismiss it as rubbish. I clipped the radio to my jeans, leaving it on. It might prove to be useful somehow.

Giving the diner a final glance, I found nothing else of interest, so I stepped over the corpse of my new friend, opened the door, and stepped outside.


	5. Chapter 4: Dejavu

**Chapter 4: Dejavu.**

The fresh air helped me clear my thoughts.

I can't say that I was exactly thrilled to be out of the café, because the situation outside didn't really look any better than it had when I first got into town. The soupy fog was still very much in attendance, there was still a freezing chill in the air that I could not even begin to explain, and the town still seemed devoid of life. However, thinking back to the creature I had just slain inside the Café, I didn't hold on to that notion for very long. There could be more of those creatures out here, dozens more, hundreds, fuck, THOUSANDS more, and who knows what else might be lurking around here. I mean, shit, if you're going to play crazy, you might as well go all out, right? But even with the idea that there might be foul things amidst, it wasn't so hopeless that it caused me any unnecessary panic. I was armed, and my pistol still held 12 rounds out of its maximum 15. It would be enough to get me out of a sticky situation. Still, I prayed silently that I would never be caught in a crisis like that.

Regardless, I didn't really have a choice. Cheryl was out here somewhere, and I had to find her.

And that presented another problem, a problem not at all unlike the one I had when I first got into town, that being that I had no idea where to start searching for her. She could be anywhere by now, doubly so since I was unconscious (again) for who knows how long. She had the advantage of time. I reached into my jacket and pulled out the map I got from the Café. Though this one was only for this section of town in particular (which was designated as "Old" Silent Hill), it was highly detailed in locations. Places of note were the elementary school, the convenience store, the Café that I currently had my back to, a church, and a number of other likely irrelevant locations. The convenience store seemed to be located not far from where I crashed my jeep, being right next to the road leading into town, and I caught one area of interest by looking at that portion of the map.

_The alley…_

The alley that I chased Cheryl into upon first coming into town. That seemed like the best place to start. I didn't fancy going in there again (or anywhere for that matter), and it could very well be another deathtrap, but she might have left some kind of clue there. And either way, this time I had the means to defend myself if I somehow got cornered again.

_That dead end still made no sense. _

Semantic bullshit. The alley was just northwest of here, so I crossed over to the left side of the road and began walking north on Bachman. As I was walking, I kept my eyes and ears open for anything that might be roaming the streets besides me. There's just no way that only one of those bird things was here. There were more around, I was sure, and I had no desire to take a closer look at any of them. Once was close enough.

The street Bachman emerged onto Finney, and I turned left, keeping as close to the sidewalk as possible. The closer my back was to a wall, the better. And soon the alley came into sight. I stood looking at it for a moment, wondering if I really wanted to go down there again.

_C'mon, Mason. _

I forced my legs to start walking. My body was shivering from the cold, yet my forehead was beaded with sweat and my breathing was labored. I was afraid, and for good reason, as my last excursion down this death trap ended with a painful encounter against some horrific creatures from Hell, and a dead end that I was at a complete loss to explain. It seemed as if I was willing myself not to have a heart attack from the incredible tension that was building. If my feelings were right, this could end very badly again.

I was so lost in the moment, my mind entertaining so many different hellish outcomes, that I failed to see the wall that I almost ran smack into, and the gate left of it. I felt silly, though I don't really know why since nobody was out here to witness my clumsiness. I regained my composure and slowly pushed open the gate.

I caught sight of the mangled corpse in front of the gate again, and I took it as a bad omen. Yet, something was a little different. I didn't notice it right away, and considering how obvious it was, I should have. But I kept going. The alley looked much the same as it did when I last came here. I kept walking until it turned, and I turned with it.

And then I stopped.

There was something there.

It looked like a dog, a Doberman the best I could tell. It had the same anatomical features, body frame, and the shape of its head was vaguely similar as well. But this was not a dog. Its fur and skin was bloody and charred and writhing with maggots. It's as if it was skinned alive and thrown in an oven. The whole sight was fantastically repulsive and I had to hold the urge to empty the contents of my stomach on the concrete.

It knew I was there. Its head turned to face me. And it looked none too pleased, either. It let out a snarling bark, and then dashed right at me.

The fucker was fast for how badly it looked hurt, but I gave it no time to capitalize. I quickly drew my pistol, brought it to aim, and fired when it was maybe five feet away.

My pistol shot was followed with a brilliant flash of light and a percussive shockwave of sound, made even louder by the small confines of the alley I was in. But the monster didn't seem phased in the slightest. I missed. I didn't have time to raise the gun and fire again. The dog monster leapt right at me. It was going for my face.

My reaction was quick enough. I ducked straight down and the dog went over me. There was a wall close to my back, and the dog smacked its head right into it. I quickly ran forward a few paces and turned around. The dog seemed uninjured from its carelessness in the assault, but it was momentarily disoriented, and that was good enough for me. I raised the gun again and fired twice.

My hearing was being impacted from firing my gun in such close quarters, but this time my aim was true. One of the bullets hit the dog thing in its lower abdomen, and the other was just an inch or two short of its left eye. An injury that would be fatal to a normal dog, and one that I was hoping would be fatal to this creature. And it was. The dog monster collapsed on its side and lie completely still. The radio died down at roughly the same time.

That's it! That's what was out of place when I first passed through the gate. The radio had come to life, and I didn't even notice it. I wonder why. And I wondered even more why the radio went silent when I slew the dog monster in front of me. I was forming a couple of theories, but I couldn't test them out now, so I did my best to ignore it and pressed on.

Before long, the next gate came into sight, and I passed through it, not at all eased by the protection of my gun.

When I passed through the gate, I was made easy, but I was also disappointed. Unlike last time, where the alley kept going, this time it was just a dead end. Rubble and debris collapsed in the path in front of me, forming an obstruction that would be impossible to move with brute strength alone. I wasn't getting past this.

_Well, at least I wasn't about to encounter the school kids from Hell this time._

It wasn't a total loss though, for as I was hoping, there was interesting items scattered around the small area. Quite a few, in fact. I bent down to examine them.

There were a pair of handgun magazines, both carrying their full 15 rounds. They looked to be the correct type for my Glock, and I slipped them both in my jacket pockets. This would very much come in handy for future encounters.

The next item was the cover of a sketchbook, one that I recognized as a birthday present that I gave to Cheryl for her 5th birthday. This was the sketchbook that she brought with her on the trip to Silent Hill. I looked whimsically at her drawing of me on the cover, and it was enough to calm me down, if only a little.

To the left of this was the rest of the sketchbook, and the front page had what I came here for.

"To school."

_Hmm…she must be at the school!_

Not even considering the validity of the information, I unfolded my map and gave the area a quick glance. There it was, Midwich Elementary school, on the far southwest of town. It was the only school on this side of town and it would be quite a walk, but I could do it. I circled the school with my pen.

I was about to fold my map up when I caught one more item of interest, another map. I picked it up and gave it a look. This map was more detailed than the one I had, and I would've taken it with me had it not been in such horrible shape, saturated with water making it somewhat unreadable. However, it marked a very interesting location in the form of circles and arrows, with a message that said "Keys for Eclipse." I had no idea what this was for, but it looked to be directly in my path, going west on Matheson street, which would take me straight to Midwich street and the school. I marked the location on my map and folded it back into my pockets.

Satisfied that I had seen all there was to see in this area, I turned and walked through the gate, down the narrow path, to the mangled animal corpse, and through the other door.

It felt good to be out of that alley. I prayed that I wouldn't have to visit it a third time.


	6. Chapter 5: Landmark

**Chapter 5: Landmark. **

Time to formulate a plan.

I unfolded my map, a process which took longer than I wanted it to, given the tense mental state that I was in (I had to fold it many times to make it fit in my jacket pocket), and gave it a closer look. Midwich Elementary School was directly southwest of the alley I was in. Crossing Finney as far west as it stretched would empty onto Midwich St., and the school was just south of it. Not a short hike by any means, but doable. And if I happened to encounter a few more of those bird monsters or dogs, or whatever else might be out here, now I had the means and the resources to defend myself.

_And what if you run into an army of bird and dog monsters? Then what, Rambo?_

The thought wavered around in my head like a kid beating a pinata with a stick. Well, if that was to be the case, I'd deal with it then. Right now I had enough on my plate just worrying about getting there. I didn't need the added stress of worrying about what might be lying in wait. And I had almost forced the thought out of my head as I emerged from the alley onto Finney, when my stride and my train of thought was broken.

Broken by the sound of radio static.

I had a couple of ideas as to why it was making noise like that, and I looked around. Sure enough, there was something to my right. Its back was to me (a guess since it was a very vague shape) and it looked vaguely human. I approached it cautiously.

I was five feet away when it must've heard my footsteps because it turned to face me, and suddenly my thoughts were confirmed, in a most unsettling way. It was another bird monster, looking far too similar like the one I slew in the Café. Seeing it again brought fresh waves of terror and turned my entire body stone cold, for I knew what I was looking at wasn't even remotely possibly in the realm of reality.

I had an advantage this time though. It wasn't airborne like its hostile cousin, but rather standing prone on its clawed feet, as if deciding what to do about it. I didn't know if it was going to attack, and I didn't give it half a chance to capitalize. I reached for my Glock, aimed carefully (which was hard considering the terror I felt by seeing this, and the impact said terror had on my ability to keep my hands steady), and fired twice. Twin starbursts of blood splotched on its chest, looking like rich rose tattoos inked across the charred skin. My aim was good. The bird monster let out a shrill cry before falling beak-first onto the hard asphault, not in a normal motion, but like a statue, or something really hard and weighted. The radio went silent along with it.

I unhooked my radio and started examining it. I don't know how it was possible, but that encounter confirmed my suspicions, that the white noise and static was caused by the proximity of monsters. It had the ability to pick up on them. The hows and the whys were lost upon me, but it was a considerable advantage, an early warning against the monsters, and for that reason I hooked it back to my belt and left it on, blessed by my fortune to have such a thing.

The terror settled back into unease and minor panic, and as the adrenaline high wore off my nose started to report the fantastically awful stench this dead monster was giving off, and it made my stomach turn. I had to get away from it, so west down Finney I went, keeping along the left sidewalk to help navigate better, and also to keep potential ambushes down. If these monsters really were everywhere, I didn't want them to have the advantage of being able to attack from any possible angle. Having a wall to my side put me at ease a little, but only a little. My clip only had 7 bullets remaining, and though I had two fully loaded spare clips, I didn't know how long they would last, or if I would ever find more. Conservation was fast becoming a priority, and I resolved that I would only use my gun if I had no other choice.

Going west, Finney eventually spilled onto Levin St., turning south. I crossed the street, noting the fact that neither the streetlights nor the crosswalk signal was working, and kept going down Finney. Given the state of things, I didn't think there were any cops or authority figures around to give me shit for jaywalking.

I didn't get very far before I came across something that was going to be a serious obstacle to my travels. I caught a glimpse of it at first, spidery cracks and chunks of asphault lay strewn in front of me. And a few feet ahead, I saw the reason why.

The road was obliterated.

It looked like a massive sinkhole or something had collapsed the street and everything surrounding it. The destruction was all but total, but unsettling in a strange way. I stood over the edge and was surprised to find that I couldn't see the bottom of the void, and when I looked to the side, both the buildings and the fences lining the street in this direction were a jagged mess, having been torn from their foundation and sliding into the seemingly bottomless pit, but looking completely fine where the street was still erect. It made no sense whatsoever how structures could still be standing like this, as badly as they were damaged on one side, but I wasn't in any position to question it. What was important was that I couldn't continue down this street thanks to the massive canyon that it dropped into.

I pulled out my map and looked for the next closest conduit, Matheson St., just south on Levin St., at the next turn. This was my first consideration when I decided on a plan in the alley, and also the street that was marked on that map I found, next to the sketchbook. I don't know what that mark signified, but I guess I would find out now, seeing as I had no choice but to give that street a try now.

So I retraced my steps back to the Levin St. turn, and started south, again staying on the sidewalk to prevent possible ambushes and gauge my sense of place better. The cold was starting to get to me. The panic and episodes of fear induced by the sight of these inhuman monstrosities made me break into a sweat, and the cold air and wind made it feel that much worse. I shivered, even with my jacket (thankful though I was to have it). It helped me focus though, and that was welcome.

As I continued down Levin St., I came across a dog house, which peaked my interest for two reasons. First, it was the only yard that had a dog house, making me wonder why someone would have one on the front yard to begin with, considering it wasn't fenced in. The second detail was exponentially more unsettling.

The dog house was stained with blood.

I didn't know if it signified anything or if it was just meant to scare me, but if it was, it was doing a good job. It seemed completely out of place, and for a moment I…

…Why was I giving this any more than a cursory thought? It wasn't important to me or my goals, so why was I letting it bother me so much? Angry with myself, I left it alone and continued down Levin St., and before long it poured onto a four-way split. I had reached Matheson, so I turned right and followed it down, making my try for Midwich again.

And I didn't get thirty paces before I realized that this wasn't going to work either, for the road was in ruin comparible to Finney St.. It was as if someone drew this little section of street and erased it from the world in a most destructive manner. The rubble and spidery cracks were so evident that they cause one side of the road I was on to sink, and the other to rise, like an earthquake.

_What is this, some kind of joke? _

I felt like something was deliberately out to stop me, as ridiculous as that sounds. But all I could do was groan in frustration at a situation beyond my ability to control. All these fucking obstacles and obstructions on my so-called quest were putting an incredible strain on my resolve, and it angered me no small amount.

But there was something here this time, a detail of sorts. On the edge of the street, just inches from oblivion, were two pieces of paper, one of which was settling in a small puddle of blood. The other was held down by a weight of some kind. When I picked it up, I realized it wasn't a weight at all.

It was a key ring.

There were three keys attached to it, similar in their general design, but each one with a different carving, one of a lion, one of a man (made of wood or metal, I couldn't tell), and one of a scarecrow. The irony was incredible, but I didn't give it any attention. My attention was downward towards the two pieces of paper. First the paper on the left, the one weighted down by the keys.

"Keys for Eclipse."

Eclipse? Not sure what that meant, nor if I would ever find out. I didn't know what these keys opened, nor the where, but I pocketed them nevertheless. The once-weighted paper skitted across the pavement and into the wind, out of sight thanks to the soupy-thick fog. The other paper was still there, made heavier by the soaking blood. And on it was a more interesting note.

"Dog House. Levin Street."

_The dog house I passed on the way here?_

I had no idea, there could've been other dog houses on the other side of the street that I didn't see, but I didn't think there were. Regardless, I was out of options, unless I wanted to try a longer detour like…well, I looked at my map again. I COULD go south down Levin St. or Bachman Road further; both would emerged on to Bradbury St., and from there I could go all the way west to Midwich St., and the school would be just north of me. But I had a sinking feeling that they would be dead ends of a similar nature to Finney and Matheson, not to mention they were considerably longer detours, and that's why I decided to investigate the dog house first. If it doesn't pan out then I could give those streets a try.

So I retraced my steps, back to the split, up Levin again, until I came back to the dog house, still uneased by the fact that it was stained with blood. Only, there was something there this time. A small pool of blood collected in front of the opening leading inside the dog house, and sitting in that pool was a small piece of metal.

A key.

I was certain this wasn't here before, but I wasn't in a position to argue it. I picked it up and examined it. It looked far more ordinary than the etched keys I found on Matheson, which gave me a clue as to its destiny. I put the key in my pocket and walked up the steps to the house, to the front door. I turned the knob.

_Locked._

Feeling pretty sure I knew what the key was for, I fished the key out of my pocket. At that moment the radio came to life. I didn't know if its source was inside the house or outside, but I'd chance a painful encounter if it meant getting out of the street, the cold, and the danger of open area. I inserted the key into the keyhole, harder than it should've been because my hands were shaking from panic, and turned it. The lock disengaged with a loud snap, and I turned the knob, swung the door inward, rushed inside and closed and locked it behind me. And not two seconds later, I had my Glock out in front scanning my immediate field of view for any threats that might be in here. I hadn't noticed it, but the radio died down once I got in the house, which probably meant the threat it was picking up was outside. I eased my guard a little bit and let my nerves take command again.

There was a small desk to the right of the door and a potted tree next to it, a fake one from the looks of it, the leaves made of wax. Further down the wall I saw a door to the right, likely leading to the only bedroom and bathroom (it was a small house). The door was jammed though. The knob turned in my hand loosely meaning it wasn't locked, but the lock itself must've been obstructed or blocked somehow, because this door wasn't opening. I thought about bashing it in since it opened outward from my position, but decided not to waste my energy trying. It's not likely that there was anything of importance in there anyway.

Instead, I kept going and emerged into the dining room. A bulky old television stood on the dresser on the left wall, black jet casing and completely unremarkable. The table was set with china, silverware, glasses and other adornments, but this whole place had the look of abandon, like nobody was ever here. I could see the back door from here though, and it took my interest. Maybe there was a way through here after all. I went towards it, past the kitchen, and inspected it.

It too was locked, but in a different way. It had three latches, and securing each latch was a padlock, each one unique in one detail. Each padlock had a carving on its front plate. And when I saw the carvings, my eyes lit up like a light bulb. I fished the key ring out of my pocket and double-checked. The first padlock was etched with a carving of a lion. In went the lion key, and when I turned it, I heard a healthy click and the lock was released. I pulled the padlock off and undid the latch, then put the other two keys in their respective padlocks, first the woodman, then the scarecrow.

With all three latches undone, the door was unlocked, and I turned the knob and stepped through, wondering what I was going to see.


	7. Chapter 6: Panic

**Chapter 6: Panic. **

As soon as I stepped outside, things changed.

It was just like that alley the first time, that unnatural darkness setting in, completely blinding me. It was also scary being completely engulfed like this because I had not thought to check for any lingering threats, but my radio heard no evil, so I wasn't too alarmed. I raised my right hand and felt around for the pocket light I collected from the Café, the one I put in my breast pocket. After a few tense seconds I finally found it and felt my way to its on/off switch. It was a relief to find that the batteries in it were good ones and I once again had illumination, however small it was.

I was more worried about what I saw shortly after my world was plunged into shadow the first time around, how that gurney, the wheelchair, the chained fence and that horribly mutilated and posed body seemed so out of place and in striking contrast to the environment just seconds before. I hoped that wasn't what was waiting for me on my immediate path.

But for now, I was focused on what lie ahead. I was in the back yard of the house, a quiet little area with a white wooden table and two chairs, with the left fence aligned with a small raised garden, well-tended and smelling quite refreshing. It was perhaps a quarter of an acre in size, but I wasn't paying attention. What I also noticed was that there was a back door, presumably leading out somewhere. And I had no desire to stay here waiting for whatever was around, so out the back gate I went.

It led into an alley, much like the one I had come across when I first got into town, only this one ran in two directions. According to the map, the back fence I just exited from was facing west, so left would lead me south towards the school, and right would take me north to Finney. I decided it would be prudent to avoid exploring unnecessary territory, as that would just be asking for death at the hands of whatever was waiting out here. My radio was buzzing softly, so even if it wasn't in close proximity, I knew I wasn't alone out here, and aiming would most definitely be harder in this darkness. I held the Glock in my right hand ready to go as I made my way south.

As it turns out, the alley wasn't nearly as long as I thought it was. Before long, I emerged onto another street, most likely Matheson. And when I looked to my left, though my light didn't shine as far as I'd want it to, I could still see the spidery cracks in the asphault and chunks of concrete splayed about. I knew the road on this side was of a similarly ugly ruin, and that was enough for me.

West down Matheson I continued. My radio was phasing in and out of various levels of static and white nose, like there was something out here it really resented, and I couldn't doubt that it was true. While making my way westward I even heard one of the unsavory inhabitants that were out here; it sounded like one of those bird monsters. Thankfully it didn't seem to notice my presence, even with the glaring light. I was surprised that the sound of my radio didn't give it away either, but no matter. If I could avoid confrontation, all the better.

Before long Matheson emerged onto another street, again running North and South. Midwich, I guessed. I took another look at my map. The school was about two blocks south of here, on the west side of the street (which would be on my right, going south). I decided I would stay on the west side while making my way south, to make sure I found what I was looking for and that I didn't inadvertently walk right past it. So south I went. It wasn't 50 or so paces before the buildings lining my right side gave way to hedge bushes, each one looking more or less identical in appearance. They were scarily unsettling because I couldn't see through them. I didn't know what might lay concealed behind them, and that's why I moved left, away from them and closer to the street.

At that moment, my radio sparked a fresh wave of bone-chilling static, and I stopped dead in my tracks, scouting for the source. It was one of those dog monsters, not ten feet away (my light didn't shine any further than that), lying in the middle of the street. Seeing it sent a blizzard chill throughout my body, even though I had seen it before, because it was simply something that couldn't be.

I don't think it noticed me, for it made no attempt to get up and attack. It looked like it was sleeping. I decided not to take the offensive and bother it, and instead moved closer to the hedge bushes again, as uncomfortable as that made me feel. I turned my light off and continued south, using the bushes to guide me by feeling my way. When my radio stopped giving off waves of static, I flicked my light back on and relaxed myself. I kept going.

And not five seconds later, it started squalling again. I couldn't figure out why at first, there was nothing in front of me or to my sides. I thought maybe it was behind the hedge bushes after all. But…

I turned around.

The dog monster had snuck up on me. I had no idea how it was right behind me, less than 10 feet away and I didn't hear it or sense it, being stalked by this thing, but it was! My body was renewed with pulsating terror and dread, terrible thoughts of what this thing could do to me.

It lowered its head with a predatory malicious snarl on its jaws. Then, without warning, it charged.

I don't think I planned what I did.

I ran.

I kept running south, using the hedges to guide my way. I didn't know how close or how far the school was, or whether or not I could outrun or even stay ahead of this beast, but it was my only chance. I didn't have enough time to mount a counter-offensive, and I didn't really want to. All I wanted was to get away from this Hellhound.

After about two minutes of running my legs began to give out, no doubt thanks to the lactic acid building within the muscles. My breathing was paced and very heavy. Sweat broke fresh on my forehead and neck. I was in a blind panic, and my only thought, the only thing I wanted, was escape. To get the hell away from whatever the fuck this thing was. And for a very terrifying moment, I thought it wouldn't be enough. I thought I would eventually give out, and it would catch up to me, rip my throat out and be done with it. There's no way I'd be able to fend it off if it tackled me to the ground.

Just as my mind was in the throes of giving in and admitting defeat, the hedges to my right gave way to another pathway. I didn't have time to stop and examine anything, but as I turned to run up the pathway I caught a glimpse of a sign next to it, a big, chiseled rock monument, denoting that this was the Midwich Elementary school. The feeling of relief was almost tangible, like something I could pull out of thin air, and it gave me the resolve to keep running. Before long, the front entrance came into view, two single-wide doors, one on the left and one on the right. I raced up the steps and turned the knob on the left door, with the dog monster on my tail six feet away.

_Please let it open._

It did. I threw the door open, ran inside, and shut it behind me. There was no lock on it, odd for a place like this, but I didn't think it would be able to break through. It didn't even try. I let go of the handle, put my back to the door, and slid down.

For the moment, all was better.


	8. Chapter 7: The Door of Time

**Chapter 7: The door of time. **

I must have sat hunched against the door for the longest time, even though realistically it was only in the range of five minutes. I couldn't help it. As mortally terrified as I was, I would be useless, and I had to let my body take control of itself again. It wasn't easy, probably due to the fact that my radio was still humming softly with static, and just the sound of its static was enough to make my blood fall to sub-zero temperatures and turn my veins to ice. It was still picking up the dog monster from Hell that chased me two blocks into this place. And I wasn't sure if there was anything here waiting to tear a piece out of my face, but since my radio didn't pick up on anything in front of me (it would be louder if that was the case), that relaxed me a bit.

My heart rate came down after some ten minutes had passed and I was able to calmly and collectively stand up and wipe the sweat from my forehead. Time to review my current situation.

The room I was in was small, maybe twenty feet long and twenty feet wide, and seemed to connect to another room, likely the lobby. The doors leading to said lobby were wood, fancy in their design, and set with gilded brass pushbar handles, much like you'd see in any school, though not quite as industrial or as tacky. I could see an old fire alarm above the door directly in front of me, one of those vintage red bell dealies, its scarlet shell fading with the ages. The wall to my right was adorned with a collection of educational flyers and festive activities, some religious in nature, and none of which looked remotely entertaining, even for children of the right age. So Midwich Elementary was a theist school, most likely Christian. The wall to my left was a little more interesting.

There was a map on it, outlining the general blueprint of the school. It was too big for me to take down and bring with me, but I studied it carefully to give myself a sense of place and direction.

The square room I was in was the front entrance of the school, and going out the double doors in front of me would lead me into the Reception area, with a secretarial office on the left side and an infirmary room on the right. There were a lot of possible options to explore from there, either the double doors down the left or right sides of the lobby, leading to different wings of classrooms, or the doors directly in the middle which would lead into the courtyard. I felt a headache coming on due to the task at hand; searching for Cheryl here could prove quite frustrating with so many places to look and no clue where to start. Yet, if that was what had to be done, complaining wasn't going to improve matters. I made for the door and entered the main lobby.

The first thing I caught sight of was another set of double doors, identical to the ones I came in through. Likely this was the front entrance to the courtyard. I closed the door behind me and scanned my surroundings. The hallway to the right had a set of double doors on the far end, leading to the east wing of classrooms. To the right of that was another door leading into the infirmary, which I opened. There wasn't much in here, a ratty old cot that looked sagged and stained yellow from piss, and a large cabinet to the left of that with old and outdated first aid supplies, their packaging tarnished and some of it almost unreadable. I wonder if that's what it was like when this place actually saw human life. There was nothing notable in here so I let myself back out into the hallway.

Checking the branch to the left proved more fruitful, though I didn't know it immediately. There was another set of double doors at the far end leading into the west wing, and to the left of that was another door, what looked like the Principles Office, one T. Moore. The door opened, but there was nothing inside except a few pieces of odd furniture (odd because the room was so small), but what was next to the door was far more interesting.

There were three books on the employee side of the booth, and each one had a message. A message written in blood.

10:00

_Alchemy Laboratory: Gold in the old mans hand. The future hidden in his fist. Exchange for Sages Water. _

12:00

_A place with Songs and Sounds: A Silver Guidepost is untapped in lost tongues._

_Awakening at the ordained order. _

5:00

_Darkness that brings the choking heat: Flames render the silence, awakening the hungry beast. Open times door to beckon prey. _

The messages were cryptic, not only in their manner of appearance but in their meaning, and trying to figure out their importance, if any, was lost on me at the moment. I did my best to quash my curiosity and put my priorities back in order. Find Cheryl. And she most definitely wasn't in this part of the school.

The double doors leading into the west wing were locked, from the other side it seemed. Ditto for the doors leading to the east wing. That left the courtyard, and suffice to say, the doors leading there opened without a hitch. I stepped through.

And once again, my radio sprang to life with its merry wave of static.

Immediately I started sweeping my pocket light around for any threats. There were a pair of squarish hedge bushes in front of me; something could have been hiding behind them. I waited, but nothing made itself apparent.

_Okay, I did step outside. It might just be picking up the dog outside of the entrance. _

That thought stuck with me for all of five seconds, until I stepped forward, and the static grew louder. There was something here, and I wasn't seeing it. I reached for my Glock.

As soon as I had a grip on it, I heard something, familiar but on the edge of my tongue. It was a low, depressive moan, almost human in a way. I had heard it before, but it wasn't coming to mind immediately. I turned around to discover what it was.

And when I did, I immediately found myself wishing I hadn't.

It was that damn creature I encountered in the alley the first time, that demon child thing. It looked almost exactly alike, the hole where its face should be, unevenly protruding sharp, rotting teeth, the gray fish belly skin, and of course, the knife it held in its deformed hand.

_Oh fuck, not again._

The dog and the bird monsters scared me no small amount, but a part of my rational mind tried to accept them for what they were because it wanted to believe so strongly that they weren't impossible. Hell, for the little knowledge that I possess outside of my profession, they very well could have been creatures I had simply never heard about, although I didn't really believe it.

This, _this_ was an impossible being. It offended and contradicted every notion of reality I held. This just couldn't possibly exist, not a fucking chance.

As if to challenge my ideas of what could and could not be, it started moving towards me. It was slow, not moving more than two feet a second and being about eight feet away, but to see this thing stalk me, bore down on me like it was, it felt like I was a marathon runner being chased down for first in a 500-meter sprint. It wasn't fast, but it certainly felt like it.

I was backing away. I didn't immediately have the presence of mind to take aim and defend myself. My right mind was dog-locked in a state of absolute perplexity, not allowing itself to believe what it was seeing. But it would get me killed if I dwelled on it for much longer. I had to act, and soon.

My back hit something solid. A wall. I was cornered, and the thing was less than three feet away.

_SHIT! _

I didn't have time to raise my weapon, so instead I jumped to the right. I landed on my right arm, sore a bit because of the impact, but I quickly picked myself up and looked at the oncoming attacker.

It had fallen on its face (or what passed for one, at least). At the time that I jumped right, it apparently tried to lunge or tackle me, and my reflexes fired just in time. It missed and overbalanced as a result. Thankful for my clumsy act of survival and the outcome that followed, I capitalized on it and brought my Glock to eye level, trained right on the monsters head just as it was picking itself up. I fired, and the sound was damn near concussive because of the confining walls around this courtyard, but my shot was a good one, shaky though my aim was. The bullet punched a hole in the side of this monsters head, where its ear would normally be. It lost control of its body immediately and planted its face on the turf again, laying perfectly stock still. It was dead.

The moment said realization hit me and my nose caught the incredible stink this thing gave off, my stomach decided to jump ship, and there was little I could do against it. I pushed my arms against the wall for balance and emptied the contents of my stomach on the grassy turf below me. Three times I did this, until I felt the last of it leave me, and I wiped the snot and saliva from my face with the sleeve of my jacket.

I stood there for a long pregnant moment trying to get a solid grasp on my thoughts. To stand here and think about things like this, this impossible wetfart child monster that came inches from goring my legs and shook the very foundations of my sense of reality, was dangerous to me. The radio was quiet at the moment, but I had no doubt there were more of these things around, and I had to push aside those horrid thoughts and focus on the matter at hand. I managed that much, but it was an ungodly struggle to do so.

_If I survive this, I'll have one hell of a story to write._

I laughed at that thought because it seemed so different from my usual train of thinking. Nevertheless, it did seem to be a big "if" at the moment.

I started investigating my surroundings again. There were a few benches lining the outer walls and a few placed flush against the four hedges in the center. Other than that, it was a rather dull playground. There was no sandbox or slide, no tetherball, no hop skotch court engraved in the concrete sections (it was mostly grass), basketball court, or anything like that. Dull and drab.

One detail stood out though. In the southest corner, on the side of the yard that I entered from, was a building, a tower of some sort. It looked completely out of place against the stark block walls of the school courtyard, like a yellow candlestick flush against a white curtain. There were steps leading up to what looked like a door, one without handles or a knob, more like an elevators doors. There was just enough space to slip my fingers through the center crack, and I did so, trying to pry it open. It wasn't moving though, it was quite locked.

I noticed that there were small plaques to the left and right of the door, one gold and one silver. The gold one read "A Golden Sun," while the silver one opposite read "A Silver Moon." Both had an indentation above the engravings, a hollow oval carving, like something could be placed in them. I was intrigued, but I didn't really know what to do about it. I stood back and gave the tower a second glance again, deciding on my next course of action.

The second glance gave me an answer, one that I did not expect. There was a large clock faced high on the tower, making it look like a miniature model of London's "Big Ben."

The clock was stopped at 10:00.

"10:00

Alchemy Laboratory: Gold in the old mans hand."

It was absolutely ridiculous to think that the blood-written message in the lobby was related in any way to this tower, but seeing as I didn't have any other real leads, I made my way back to the lobby, to the opening connecting it, and I found myself staring at the school map again. There seemed to be only classes on the first floor, but a quick glance at the second floor layout showed a Chemistry Lab along the north corridor.

_I'll be damned._

And I also noticed a Music room along the second floors south corridor.

"12:00

A place with Songs and Sounds. A Silver guidepost is untapped in lost tongues. 

The messages made a lot more sense. It seemed impossible that I'd make the connection in such a way, but I made a note of both of their general locations. Then I found myself walking back into the lobby, into the courtyard, and to the double doors on the other side. The only way to go.

Cheryl…please be here somewhere.


End file.
